| March [20], 1832, Hiram, Ohio. |
| Explanations of Revelation imagery. Sea of glass.
Four beasts. Twenty-four elders. Seven seals §. Elias
to gather the Twelve Tribes will gather them and restore all things. 144,000
sealed high priests §.
Trumpets §. Elias gathers and restores § Two
prophets §. |
| Manuscript History, 192–195, heading:
About the first of march, in connection with the translation of the scriptures,
I recived the following explanation of the Revelations of Saint John. |
| Added to the 1876 D&C. |
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Manuscript History |
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MH-A, 192–195. |
| Sea of glass |
1 |
¶ What is the sea
of glass spoken of by John 4th chapter, and 6th verse of the Revelations? |
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I have omitted the Q. and A. at the beginning of each paragraph in the current LDS D&C.
"And
before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in
the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts
full of eyes before and behind." Rev. 4:6 |
| Sanctified earth |
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¶ It is the earth, in its sanctified,
immortal and eternal state. |
|
Future of the Earth |
| Four beasts |
2 |
¶ What are we to
understand by the four beasts spoken of by John 4th
chapter, and 6th verse of Revelation in
the same verse? |
|
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| Figures for heaven, paradise, human happiness,
animals |
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¶ They are figurative expressions,
used by the Revelator, John, in describing heaven, the paradise of God,
the happiness of man, and of beasts, and of creeping things, and of the
fowls of the air; that which is spiritual being in the [193] likeness of
that which is temporal; and that which is temporal in the likeness of that
which is spiritual. the spirit of man in the likeness of his person; as
also the spirit of the beast, and also every other creature which God
has created. |
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3 |
¶ Are the four beasts limited to individual beasts,
or do they represent classes or orders? |
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| Four classes of beings |
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¶ They are limited to four individual
beasts, which were shewn to John to represent the glory of the classes
of beings in their destined order, or sphere of creation, in the enjoyment
of their eternal felicity. |
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Four spheres of creation? |
| Eyes and wings |
4 |
¶ What are we to understand by the eyes and wings,
which the beasts had? |
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| Light and knowledge, and power to move |
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¶ Their eyes are a representation
of light and knowledge, that is, they are full of knowledge; and their
wings are a representation of power, to move, to act etc. |
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| 24 elders |
5 |
¶ What are we to
understand by the four and twenty elders spoken of by John? |
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"And round about the throne were
four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders
sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns
of gold. … The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat
on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their
crowns before the throne … And when he had taken the book, the four
beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb … And the
four and twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever
and ever." Rev.
4:4, 10; 5:8, 14. |
| Belonged to 7 churches |
|
¶ We are to understand that these
elders whom John saw, were elders who had been faithful in the work of
the ministry, and were dead, who belonged to the seven churches, and were
then in the Paradise of God. |
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| Book |
6 |
¶ What are we to understand by the book which
John saw, which was sealed on the back with seven seals? |
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"And I saw in the
right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on
the backside, sealed with seven seals. … And
one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe
of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to
loose the seven seals thereof." Rev. 5:5, 7. |
| Revelations |
|
¶ We are to understand that it
contains the revealed will, mysteries and the works
of God: the hidden things of his economy concerning this earth during
the seven thousand years of its continuance, or its temporal existence. |
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| 7 seals |
7 |
¶ What are we to understand by the seven seals
with which it was sealed? |
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| 1000 years |
|
¶ We are to understand that the first seal contains the things
of the first thousand years, and the second also of the second thousand
years, and so on until the seventh. |
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| 4 angels |
8 |
[194] ¶ What are
we to understand by the four angels, spoken of by
John in the 7th chapter
and first 1st verse
of Revelations? |
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"And after these
things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding
the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth,
nor on the sea, nor on any tree. " Rev.
7:1. |
| Angels over 4 parts of the earth |
|
¶ We are to understand that they
are four angels sent forth from God, to whom is given power over the four
parts of the earth, to save life and to destroy; these are they who have
the everlasting gospel to commit to every Nation, kindred, tongue, and
people, having power to shut up the heavens, to seal up unto life, or
to cast down to the regions of darkness. |
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| Angel rising in the east |
9 |
¶ What are we to
understand by the angel ascending from the east, Revelations seventh 7th chapter,
and sechond 2nd verse? |
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And I saw another angel and he cried with
a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth
and the sea, Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees,
till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. " Rev.
7:2. |
Angel with power over 12 tribes (Elias)
Coming to gather tribes and restore
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¶ We are to understand that the
angel ascending from the east is he to whom is given the seal of the living
God over the twelve tribes of Israel, wherefore he crieth unto the four
angels having the everlasting gospel, saying, hurt not the earth, neither
the sea, nor the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God in
their foreheads; and. if you will receive it, this is Elias which was
to come, to gather together the tribes of Israel, and restore all things. |
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| When |
10 |
¶ What time are the things spoken of in this chapter
to be accomplished? |
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| 6th thousand years |
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¶ They are to be accomplished
in the sixth thousandth years, or the opening
of the sixth seal. |
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| 144,000 |
11 |
¶ What
are we to understand by sealing the one hundred and forty four thousand
out of all the tribes of Israel, Twelve
thousand out of every tribe? |
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"And I heard
the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred
and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben
were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand." Rev.
7:4-5. Also referenced in 14:1, 3. |
| Sealed by high priests |
|
¶ We are to understand that those
who are sealed are high priests ordained unto the holy order of God to
administer the everlasting gospel, for they are they who are ordained
out of every nation, kindred, tongue and people by the angels to whom
is given power over the nations of the earth to bring as many as will
come, to the church of the first born Firstborn. |
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| Trumpet sounds |
12 |
[195] ¶ What
are we to understand by the sounding of the trumpets mentioned in the
8th chapter of Revelations? |
|
Rev. 8.
"The first angel sounded, and there followed hail and fire mingled with blood,
and they were cast upon the earth …" Rev. 8:7. |
Creation in 6 days, rest on the 7th
7th thousand to redeem all things
Trumpets announce beginning of his coming |
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¶ We are to understand that as
God made the world in six days, and on the seventh day he finished his
work and sanctified it, and also formed man out of the dust of the earth;
even so in the beginning of the seventh thousandth years will the Lord God sanctify the earth and complete the salvation of man,
and judge all things, and shall redeem all things, except that which he
hath not put into his power when he shall have sealed all things unto
the end of all things: and the sounding of the trumpets of the seven angels,
are the preparing and finishing <of> his work in the beginning of the
seventh thousandth years, the
preparing of the way before the time of his coming. |
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| When |
13 |
¶ When are the things
to be accomplished, which are written in the 9th chapter of Revelations? |
|
Rev. 9. |
| Before Christ comes |
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¶ They are to be accomplished
after the opening of the seventh seal, before the coming of christ. |
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| Little book |
14 |
¶ What
are we to understand by the little book, which was eaten by John, as mentioned
in the tenth 10th chapter of Revelations? |
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| Mission of Elias (restore all things) |
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¶ We are
to understand that it was a mission and an ordinance for him to gather
the tribes of Israel. Behold this is Elias, who, as it is written,
must come and restore all things. |
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| Two witnesses |
15 |
¶ What
is to be understood by the two witnesses in the eleventh chapter of Revelations? |
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Rev. 11 . |
| Jewish prophets after Jews gather
and rebuild Jerusalem |
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¶ They are two prophets that
are to be raised up to the Jewish nation in the last days, at the time
of the restoration, and to prophecy to the Jews after they are gathered
and have built the City of Jerusalem, in the land of their fathers. |
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D&C 78
D&C 76
Ohio Revelations
Doctrine and Covenants
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